Window guide for vehicle bodies



1948. J. H. ROETHEL 1 2,447,990

WINDOW GUIDE FOR VEHICLE BODIES Filed Sept. 17, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet lJ97"? H /96x 1 ,BY E- if WYSWJL 1943- J. ROETHEL 2,447,990

wmnow sum: FOR VEHICLE BODIES Filed Sept. 1?, 194a 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

FTTITNEV Patented Aug. 24, 1948 t 2,447,990 I WINDOW GUIDE FOR VEHICLEBODIES John H. Ro'ethel, Detroit, Midi-,Illlnfl! to Marvel EquipmentCorporation, Detroit, Mlcln, a corporation of Michigan ApplicationSeptember 17,1943, Serial No. 502,779

3 Claims. (Cl. 296 44.5)

This invention relates to window control mechanism and particularlymechanism !or controlling the operation of glass or transparent panelsor the like of vehicles, especially automobile bodies, an object of theinvention being to provide an improved mechanism which is conipact.

independently rotatable disks of non-metallic material, at least onethereof peripherally enrelatively simple in construction and economicalto manufacture, requires a minimum of space in the body, eliminatesconsiderable frictional resistance to the movement of the window pane].

is capable of being easily assembled and adjusted properly within thebody, and is adapted for use without material changes to various typesof windows.

A further object of the invention is to provide a window panel controlmechanism embodying resistance to its travel while the guide means inthe well is substantially noiseless or constructed in such manner as toavoid chattering or vibrating noises during operation of the'vehicle andat the same time is easy to install and adjust for efllcient operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a window guide mechanismembodying fixed upright guides within the window well each formed of anangle having a, single guide flange extending longitudinally within thewell and adapted to be engaged by a guide device secured to the loweredge of the window panel, such as a rotatable shoe or member grooved toembrace the guide flange and capable of being maintained at all times inproper guiding relation to the flange.

A further object of the invention. is to provide an improved windowguide embodying a rotatable roller or disk-like device adapted to travelwith a minimum of frictional resistance against a fixed upright guidewithin the window well, the roller being formed of non-metallic materialwhich will be relatively noiseless in operation capable of flexing,bending or yielding somewhat laterally so as to accommodate variationsespecially where the roller and fixed guide do not line up accurately'or are not in the same plane after the parts have been assembled in thevehicle body. I

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved windowguide embodying a roller grooved to embrace a guide track or guideflange formed ona fixed upright guide in the window well, the rollercomprising a plurality of gaging the guide to ailord bearing contact,the preferred construction being such that the disks or at least onethereof will flex, bend or compress in any direction to accommodatevariations or misalignment oi the roller and guide and in which theroller may beadiusted longitudinally to position the same properlyduring assembly or for the purpose of take-up to compensate for wear.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved window guideembodying a rotatable roller comprising spaced disk-like portionsembracing the guide flange of a fixed upright guide within the windowwell, one of the disk portions being adapted to have peripheral contactwith the base of the guide at one side, the construction being such thatthe roller and guide will cooperate noiselessly and with a minimum offrictional resistance during operation and will be capable ofself-accommodation for variations in construction.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No.491,140, filed June 17, 1943, now abandoned.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following descriptionand appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification wherein like reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary inner side elevation of an automobile door, suchas a front door, having installed therein a window guide embodying thepresent invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of one oi the guidedevices such as the front guide device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the rear guidedevice illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4' is a section taken substantially through lines 4-4 of Fig. 2looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating another embodiment of aroller guide device.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating a further embodiment ofa roller guide device.

Fig. 1 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating still anotherembodiment.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating theinstallation of the sliding window and guide structure within the doorshown in Fig. 1.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited in its application to the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and ofbeing practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to beunderstood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is forthe purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring tothe drawings wherein I haveillustrated, by way of example,certain embodiments of the present invention, there is shown at I. afront door of an automobile body comprising a door frame of any suitableconstruction formed with a main window opening which is adapted to beclosed by means of a vertically slidable glass or other transparentpanel I I. In the present instance the door frame is constructed so asto receive in the main window opening a wing type panel ll pivoted inconventional manner about an up and down axis intermediate its front andrear edges so as to swing laterally. It will be understood that thepresent invention may be utilized in connection with any of the windowsof an automobile body and. in addition, may be used generally inconnection with various window structures of vehicles or the like.

The sliding panel II is mounted within the window opening in glass runchannels i2. The panels II and I8 are separated by means of a verticalpartition bar it which either may be fixed within the window opening. asin the present instance, or attached to the edge of the panel H to slidetherewith.

Secured to the lower edge of the sliding panel II is a retainer channelI! to which the window regulator is adapted to be attached. Mountedwithin the window well of the door, which is formed between the innerand outer door or body panels, are two fixed upright guides i6, eachbeing secured at its lower end within the well by a bracket ll securedto the inner door panel. The upper end of the front guide [8 is attachedto a fixed bracket i8 and the upper end of the rear guide I8 is attachedto a fixed bracket it.

The window panel II is provided with front and rear guide devices 20 and2i cooperable with the upright guides i8 within the window well.Referring to Figs. 2 and 4, the front guide device is carried by ananglebracket 22 having its top horizontal flange 22a secured, as by spotweldms. to the bottom of the glass retainer channel I 8. This guidedevice includes a roller 23 which in the present instance is ofcomposite construction comprising a pair of spaced inner and outerdisk-like members 24 and 25 which in this embodiment are of the samediameter. The members 28 and 25 are separated and held in spacedrelation by means of a disk-like member 28 of considerably smallerdiameter. The disk members 28, 25 and 28 are mounted to rotateindividually upon a cylindr cal stud 21 which may be in the form of ashoulder rivet secured by riveting at its inner end to the bracket 22.The opposite end of the stud 21 has a flat head engaging a metallicwasher 28 which in turn engages the outer face of the disk member 28.

The fixed upright guide It in this embodiment is in the form of a metalangle comprising a track or guide flange l8a extending at right anglesto the base of the member. The guide flange I 8a is of double thicknesshaving its outer portion folded back upon itself at l8b so as to providean outer curved edge for engagement with the central disk member 28 ofthe guide roller. It will be noted that the disk portions 24 and 28 ofthe roller are spaced apart to form a groove 28 of a depth to embracethe major depth of the guide flange 18a,

this guide flange having its portion of double thickness preferablywider than the depth of the groove 28, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The disk portions 24, 28 and 28 are preferably formed of a non-metallicmaterial which will not only have substantially noiseless engagementwith the guide flange i8a of the guide II but will be capable ofyielding or compressing slightly both longitudinally and laterallythereby to accommodate variations and to provide a take-upfor suchvariations or wear. These disk members have been satisfactorily'formedof leather although it will be understood that material havingequivalent characteristics may be utilized. In the embodiment of Fig. 4the outer curved edge of the guide flange has contact with theperipheral edge of the center guide disk 28 so as to cause the roller toturn during up and down movement of the window panel II. It is preferredthat the inner and outer disk portions 24 and 28 have slight clearancewith the side faces of the guide flange portions l8a'and l8b.

In the present embodiments of the invention the rear guide device 2|comprises a bracket 88, adapted to carry the roller device 23, which ismounted for longitudinal adjustment upon an angle bracket 3| having itstop horizontal flange 3la secured, as by spot welding, to the bottom ofthe glass retainer channel IS, The bracket 88 is provided with twolongitudinal slots 32 through which extend hexagon head adjusting screws33 threaded into tapped holes in the vertical flange of the bracket 3i.By loosening these screws the bracket 30 and its roller device 23 may bereadily adjusted longitudinally upon the bracket 3]. Thus, after thewindow panel H has been installed with the roller devices 23 embracingthe guide flanges of the guides [8, the roller device 2i may be adjudgedlongitudinally so as to obtain the proper contacting engagement betweenthe central portion of each roller and the edge of the guide flange inthe manner illustrated in Fig. 4.

In the embodiment of Fig, 5 there is illustrated a roller device ofsomewhat modified construction which may be used in place of each of theroller devices 23 illustrated in the embodiment of Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Inthis instance the inner and outer disk members 24b and 25b are ofdiflerent diameters and the central disk memb -r 2812 is somewhatthicker in order to space the disks 24b and 25b a slightly greaterdistance apart. The

three disk members of Fig. 5 are in lik manner individually rotatableupon the cylindrical stud 21. The fixed upright guide 2l6 in thisembodiment is also in the form of a metallic angle mounted in the samemanner as the guide l8 and having an inwardly directed guide flange oftwo thicknesses of metal. However, the flange 2l8a is bent back uponitself outwardly to provide a parallel portion 2|6b spaced somewhat fromthe portion 2l6a in order to provide a curved contacting edge ofincreased radius adapted, if desired, to engage the central disk portion28b of the guide roller. The portion 26b may be of slightly lessthickness to enable use of the roller of Fig. 5 with the guide ISwithout having excessive clearances between the sides of the roller andthe sides of the guide flange of Fig. 4. A thin metal washer may beinterposed between the disk 24b and bracket 22 or 30 so as to reducefriction, and similarly located washers may be used in the central diskportion b slightly spaced from the guide flange. In case of slight wearof the'disk portion 2411, the part "b will then engage and haverollingcontact with the guide flange. These spacer disks or washers b atall times assist in holding the window panel against any materialdisplacement longitudinally. or cocking in its plane. It is preferredthat the portions 24b and 28b have slight clearance with respect to theside faces of the guide flanges Ilia and 2 Ito, and also' that the parts24b, 25b and 26b be made of leather or equivalent material or surfacedwith noiseless material so as to beboth to a slight extent.

Referring to the embodiment of Fig. 6, there flexible and compressibleis here shown a roller device which may be sub-' stituted for each ofthe'devices 23 in the embodiment of Flgs.'2 and 3. In this instance thedisk portions 24a and 25a are of the same and larger diameter than thecentral spacer portion "cs0 as to provide a deeper groove between theparts 24a and 2512. Each guide device III, which may replace the guidedevices It of the previous embodiment, comprises a metallic base litformed with a reversely bent flange lita of double thickness adapted toextend into the groove between the roller portions 24a and 25a. Thelatter have rolling contact against the base of the guide lit atopposite sides of the guide flange which preferably is initially spacedslightly from the central spacer disk portion 26a. As in the previousembodiments, there is preferably a slight initial clearance between thedisk portions 24a and 28a and the sides of the guide flange l-lta.

Referring to the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 7. there is provided inthis instance a roller, adapted'to be mounted on either of the brackets22 or ll, which comprises a single disk 34 rotatable upon a stud II,which may bee. shoulder rivet secured to the bracket 22 or 30. Metallicwashers are mounted upon the shank of the stud at opposite faces of thedisk 34. The fixed upright guide in this instance is shown as a narrowchannel 36 mounted within the window well in the same manner as theguides IS. The roller or disk It has rolling contact upon the bottomoi'the channel and is preferably slightly spaced from the inner surfacesof the spaced flange portions of the channel 36, as illustrated in thedrawing. The disk 34 is 01' non-metallic material, such as leather,which may be one piece orlaniinated.

One of the important features of the roller guide devices of the variousembodiments resides in the fact that the disk members providesubstantially noiseless engagement with the guides in order to avoidobjectionable vibratory noises or chattering during operation of thevehicle without, however, impairing the operation of the parts. -It willalso be noted that the depth-of penetration of the guide flanges withinthe grooves of the rollers or the depth of penetration of the,

roller within the channel it is such as to pre-' vent the rollers iromJumpin off the guides, especially when the door is slammed.

Hg. 8 illustrates a suitable assembly of the .guide structure within theautomobile door shown in Fig. 1 utilizing, for example, guide rollers 28of the construction illustrated in Fig. 5. The flxed .guide bar It is ofchannel construction providing a vertical groove or glass run'for thefront edge of the window panel, this groove having a lining Ho 01' feltor other equivalent material so as to cooperate with the rear glass runchannel I! in guiding the window panel within the window opening. Theguide II is mountedwithin the window well in such manner that the guideflange lid is oil'set laterally with respect to the guide it so that theadjacent upright edge ,of the window panel ll will overlap but travel toone side of the guide flange Ito without engagement therewith in anyposition of the window panel. The bracket 22,

secured to the bottom of the retainer channel is shown at 40 and theusual garnish molding at 4|. Since the edge of the window-glass maytravel rather close to the base of the guide it it is desirable, undersuch circumstances, to have the separator disk or washer 26b, 28 or 26asince it will act as a stop to limit displacement ,of

the glass in its plane or sufliciently to permit the glass to'contactthe bottom of the guide.

A suitable window regulator is employed for raising and lowering thewindow panel Ii and in the present instance there is illustrated awindow regulator in part similar to that shown and described in mycopending abandoned application Serial No. 491,141.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the window regulator comprises two crossed andintersecting swinging arms 4! and It. The arm 45 extends through the arm48 and is pivoted thereto at 41 at the locality of the crossing of thetwo arms. A spiral counterbalancing spring 48 is mountedat the junctureof the two arms. Secured to the inriler end of the arm I! is a bellcrank lever 48,

while at the same time having suillcient rigidity V to hold the windowpanel in properly guided positions. However, the material is such thatthe rollers or at least portions thereof may compress or distortslightly in order to compensate, forv example, for misalignment of therollers and.

guide flanges-such as in cases where, after assembly, the rollerportions or the grooves thereof are not exactly parallel or coplanarwith the guide flanges. For example, the rollers will still operate.

even if the guide flanges are slightly cocked and do not extendaccurately at right angles to the axis of the studs-21 or 35. In casesof misalignment or lack of parallelism between the rollers the lever andarm -45 having a common pivotal mounting ill upon the inner door panel42 of the door. Pivotally connected to the outer end of the bell cranklever 49 is a push and pull link 6| which in turn is pivoted to'aswinging arm 52 pivoted at II to a mounting plate 54 secured to theinner door panel. The inner end of the arm is formed with a gear segment58 meshing with a driving pinion on a handle shaft is operated in theusual manner by means of a crank handle. Upon operating the crank handleto lowerthe window panel Ii the arm 52 will be swung in the direction ofthe arm thereby shifting the link II and outer arm of the bell II in theinner door panel 42.

Assembling of the window panel into the window well is facilitated inaccordance with the present embodiments of the invention. when the panelis inserted through the slot at the lower edge of the window opening, itis not necessary at this time torun the rollers onto the guide flanges,which often isa diflieult operation. Instead the screws 33 may beloosened and the bracket 39 shifted away from the guide after which thewindow panel is installed with the rollers free of the guide flanges.may then be shifted laterally into podtion opposite the guide flangesand the rear roller ad- Justed longitudinally to properly position bothrollers on the flanges. It is thus possible to engage and completelydisengage the rollers from the flanges, while the panel is in the well,since the length of the slots 82 is suflicient to permit the rear rollerto be backed completely of! from its guide flange. This some featurealso applies to the embodiment of Fig. 7 in which the rear roller may bebacked out of the channel.

Iclaim:

1. A guide for a window panel shiftable into and out 01 a window well,comprising an upright guide having a guide flange extending in thedirection of the plane of the panel within the well, said flange beingreturn bent to provide parallel flange portions, a roller mounted on thelower edge of the panel at one side of the plane thereof, said rollerhaving spaced flexible disklike portions embracing said flange portionsand at least one thereof having rolling engagement with a surface at oneside of the flange.

2. A guide for a window panel shiftable into and out of a window well,comprising an upright guide having a guide flange extending in thedirection of the plane of panel within the The rollers well. said flangebeing return bent to provide parallel flange portions, a roller mountedon the lower edge of the panel at one side of the plane thereof, saidroller having spaced flexible disklike portions embracing said flangeportions and one thereof being of greater diameter than the other so asto have rolling engagement witha surface at one side of the flange.

3. A guide for a window panel shlftable into and out of a window well.comprising an upright guide adapted to be mounted in the well and havinga guide flange extending in the direction of the plane of the panel atone side thereof. said flange being return bent to provide parallelflange portions. a roller mounted on the lower edge of the panelcomprising spaced leather-like washers or disks embracing said flangeportions and one of a diameter to have rolling engagement with a.surface adjacent the base of the guide flange.

JOHN H. ROE'I'HEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 1 Date 38,387 Hatfleld May 5, 1883422,805 Lane Feb. 25,1890 482,530 Bhreiiler, Jr Sept. 13,1892 1,713,088Nicholson May 14, 1929 1,827,883 Haskins et al. Oct. 20, 1931 1,892,731Lakln et al. Jan. 3, 1933 2,081,898 Axe June 1, 1937 2,114,235 Page Apr.12, 1938 2,168,242 Roethel Aug. 1, 1939 2,214,328 Hab'erstump Sept. 10,1940 2,284,426 Cooley Mar. 11, 1941 2,236,449 Roethel Mar. 25. 19412,283,002 l'ioraday May 12, 1942 2,379,924 Roethel July 10, 1945 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 240,349v Great Britain Oct. 1, 1925

